


I'm Here With You

by meridian_rose (meridianrose)



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: 100fandoms dw, Community: 100fandoms, F/M, Force Bond (Star Wars), Hurt/Comfort, Hux has got no time for this nonsense, Pain, Poisoning, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Whump, Whumptober, Whumptober 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-12-16 22:30:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21043856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meridianrose/pseuds/meridian_rose
Summary: When Kylo Ren is poisoned Rey feels his agony and, via their Force bond, tries to help him through the pain, discovering a new closeness as she does so, while Poe and Finn fret over their friend.ForWhumptober 2019prompt 21 Laced Drink and the 100fandoms prompt "here"





	I'm Here With You

They were in the dining hall, Finn poking at the thing that was supposed to be dessert and Poe suggesting all sorts of awful things it might be made from, when Rey stopped laughing, the colour draining from her face.

"Rey?" Finn asked, staring at her across the table.

She shook her head, and got to her feet. Her hands clutched her middle and she gave a moan.

"Rey!" Poe threw aside his spoon and slid out of his seat as Rey screamed in pain. He caught her as she fainted, gathered her into his arms.

Finn ran ahead of them down the corridor, clearing the way with sharp shouts of "move!" as Poe carried Rey to the medbay.

Rey came to, confused, as Poe laid her down, yelling at the medical droid. The droid beeped, waving a scanner.

"I'm not hurt," Rey murmured as another wave of agony washed over her. This time she was able to push back and not get swept up in it. 

The medical droid beeped.

"She's in pain, how can there be nothing wrong with her?" Poe demanded and the droid beeped louder, displayed a hologram of the scan results.

"It's not my pain," Rey managed to say.

Finn's attention was solely on Rey and he frowned. "What do you mean, not your pain?"

"It's his." Rey closed her eyes. "I can feel it, through the Force."

Hux was just as puzzled as Finn, and almost as annoyed as Poe. When Kylo Ren had collapsed in the canteen his screams of agony had been punctuated by his intemperate and possibly unintentional use of the Force causing the throwing of plates, chairs, and even a table, across the room.

When exhaustion had left Ren too weak to do anything more than whimper in pain the nearest stormtroopers had taken him to the medbay, Hux following just behind.

"Well?" Hux snapped.

The human doctor contained his terror as best he could, the two medical droids suddenly busy computing silently. "It looks like poison."

"Looks like, or is?"

"Is," the man said. "We're just having trouble narrowing down the exact type."

Ren's breathing was laboured, involuntary tears streaming down his face. Nearby a tray of instruments rattled ominously as the Force responded to Ren's distress.

"Perhaps you should sedate him?" Hux suggested, though his tone bordered on an order rather than a suggestion.

"Not until we're sure what the poison is. It could make things worse." The doctor gave Hux a look poised between concern for his patient and terror of Hux.

Worse than the damage Ren could cause to humans, droids, and the very ship itself? Still, Hux gave a long suffering sigh and said, "Then hurry up and find out! Or must I do everything myself?"

Hux stormed out of the room, determined to find out who dared to attempt an assassination – even of the wretched Ren - without his authorisation.

Rey watched this discussion, felt Hux's frustration as he left. No-one else could see her through the Force bond. No-one but Kylo. No-one but _Ben_.

He was in anguish, gripped with terror, and barely aware of anything but his distress. She leaned over him. "I'm here. I know you're in pain. I can feel it. You've been poisoned. Just hold on, they're trying to help you."

"Rey?" His eyes fixed on her for a moment, full of relief, and for a moment the pain was forgotten.

"I'm here. I'm here with you."

A fresh spike of pain made Ren cry out once more, body arching, fists clenched. A console crackled and sparked before going dark, smoke issuing from it. The doctor swore under his breath, rapidly typing at another panel and one of the medical droids spun around in distress.

"Kylo, you have to control yourself."

"It hurts!"

"I know. I know." Rey shook her head. "Ben!" That got his attention. "Look at me. Focus on me."

He did as she bid, and his ragged breathing slowed a little.

"I don't want to die," he said. "Not like this."

"You won't." She hoped it didn't sound like a lie. She couldn't know for sure if he'd survive.

He screwed his eyes shut, let out a strangled scream. The lights above them flickered. "I can't control it. I can't bear it."

Rey reached out, hand trembling. "Let me help. I can share your pain. I can help you bear it."

Ren blinked, shook his head. "No."

Chivalry? Male pride? Was he unwilling to hurt her?

"I can bear it," she repeated. It might keep him alive. It might keep him from tearing the ship apart. It might at least keep the agony bearable until an antidote (at best) or death (at worst) put an end to his suffering.

He swallowed, gave the barest of nods.

Rey put one hand on his and opened herself to him. The pain and fear nearly overwhelmed her. She cried out but reached out for stability, calling on the Force to give her strength. She called out, willing that it be thus; it was pain but it was not her pain and she could shoulder it without it harming her, it was not her burden but she could help bear it, dissipate it…she wasn't entirely sure what she was doing, only that she had to help. She was following her instincts and hoping she was doing this right.

"This is some Jedi thing?" Poe asked as Rey's lips moved, her words barely audible as she conversed with someone, her eyes shut.

"I guess so." Finn's eyes widened as Rey screamed out again. But then Rey bit at her lip, gained control.

The two men exchanged worried glances. This was beyond their comprehension and there was nothing they could do to help.

Hux strode into the medbay and threw a small packet at the doctor, who caught it.

"The would-be assassin has been captured. That is what he laced our Supreme Leader's drink with." The trace of disdain in his tone at Ren's title did not detract from the implicit order to save the man's life.

The doctor nodded and he and the droids got to work analysing the substance.

"Just a few minutes and we'll have the antidote," the doctor told Hux.

"Just a few minutes," Rey repeated. Her fingers pressed harder against Ren's, and with her free hand she brushed back a lock of dark hair from his sweat-covered forehead.

He nodded, trembling. There was no rage left him in. He was too weak to feel any emotion but misery and a small, warm, glow of something – gratitude? – for Rey and her presence.

"You're doing so well, Ben," Rey told him, deliberately using his given name once again, filling her voice with compassion. Perhaps if she could get through to him now, while he was so vulnerable it might make a difference. She could turn him to the side of Light once more.

The warm feeling increased. It wasn't just gratitude. It was something else. It was…love. Love for _her_. And beneath that, longing for someone to care. Longing for her to return the feeling he had tried to keep hidden; love was weak, love made him vulnerable, love was not allowed. The Light agreed; Jedis could not form attachments.

Rey's heart swelled with grief, and with love of her own. To be wanted, to be loved. She understood those feelings. And maybe Luke Skywalker had been right about putting an end to the Jedi order after all. What sort of faith did not allow love between two people?

Kylo had asked her to join him and she'd refused. But had he joined her, she would have welcomed him with open arms and an open heart. There was no denying that now. Deep down she believed he could still turn. She felt the conflict within him, understood that with Snoke gone, with his father gone (at his own hand and it had not brought the vengeance or peace he'd hoped for), with his uncle's betrayal an unhealed wound, with his belief that his mother might never accept him again, Kylo – Ben – wanted to have someone to turn to. Someone to love and to love him.

"I'm here, Ben. Come to me, and I will always be with you."

One of the droids beeped and sped over, jamming a hypodermic injector into Ren's arm.

Everyone held their breath for a second. Ren's vitals spiked and then settled. He inhaled sharply and then his eyes flickered as he could finally relax now the pain was ebbing.

"You'll be all right," Rey said. "I have to go now." She'd done what she could, both soothing him and planting a seed of hope for the future. She squeezed his hand.

He blinked. "Thank you," he murmured and his eyes closed as he fell into much-needed sleep.

Rey opened her eyes and sat bolt upright. Finn reached to steady her, startled by the sudden movement.

"Rey?" Poe stared at her. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine."

"Do you want to explain what happened?" Poe asked.

She shook her head. "No."

Not now, certainly. She wasn't sure she could explain it, didn't think they'd want to hear how she'd helped their enemy, couldn't yet bear to talk of the pain she'd experienced let alone the deep connection and affection she and Ben had shared.

She slid to the floor. "Do you think there's any of that awful pudding left?"

"Maybe," Finn said. He and Poe followed her as she headed back to the dining room, hiding the emotions swirling within her, and acting as if nothing had happened.


End file.
